Electric ignition system of internal-combustion engines.



F. H'. ALSTON. ELECTRIC IGNITION SYSTEM OF INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINESAPPLICATION FILED JAN. 24,1910,

1,010,211. Patented N0v. 28,1911

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r I I ,222 1g F. ALSTON. v ELECTRIC IGNITION SYSTEM OF INTERNALCOMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.24, 1910.

Patented Nov. 28, 1911.

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as 3 I I u 4 24 1 28 4 k v" I WITNESSES INVENTORJ f'l'fl/ZZL/ZflfiZO/WF. H. ALSTON. EL EOTRIG' IGNITION SYSTEM OF INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.APPLICATION FILED JAILME, 191i).

1,010,21 1. Patented Nov. 28, 1911.

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ALS TON, OF BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND, .ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO B OUL'JlBIElEBROOKS, OEBIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND.

ELECTRIC IGNITION SYSTEM OF INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

To all whom itlmay concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK HERBERT AL- s'roN, subject ofthe :King ofGreat Britain, residing at Birmingham, England, have invented certain'new and useful Improvements in Electric Ignition Systems of Intionsystems. I x

The two known methods of producing a.

spark are either tobreak the primary circu1t,"or else to "complete saidclrcultby suddenly causingthe current to pass there- .,th1'ougl1 afterhaving been previously shortcircuited, the'result being, in each case,to change the strengtlrof the magnetic field of the,coil or transformer.According to the present invention these two methods are combined, andtwo branch circuits are pro.-

vided through which the current is caused to pass alternately andinopposite directions by f means of an automatically operated make andbreak means, it being arranged thatfwhen the current reaches its maximumvalue, the circuit through which the current previously passed isbroken, and at the same lnstant or immediately before or after, theother circuitis completed, it being so arrangedthat the current nowpasses through this ".SQUOTKl circuit. in an opposite direction. Thecurrent passing through the primary winding of the coil or transformeris by this means suddenly reversed in direction, the

,suddenness of the change in the strength and direction of the magneticfield producing' a very intense spark in the engine -c vlindcr.

Another-objectof the invention is to pro :-'v.ide in connection with amagneto-electric machine. improved means of the rocking pole type. forinsuring that the nnikc-and-break or equivalent device shallbe actuatedwhen the currei'itis at its maximum value, whether the-ignitionis'advanced or retarded.

Figure 1' of the accompanying drawings v Specification of LettersPatent.

Application filed January 24, 1910.

Serial No. 539,724.

represents a complete longitudinal section of a magneto-electric machineembodying the present invention. and arranged for use in connection witha fourcylinder engine. Fig. 2 shows diagrammatically the generalarrangement of the system. Fig. 3 is a transverse section showing themake-andbreak device in front elevation. F 4 illustrates saidmake-and-brea-k in side elevation, and Fig. 5 is a section showing therear side or back face of the device. Fig. 6 represents a horizontalsection through the armature of the machine. Fig. 7 is a part verticalsection through the machine.

1 is the armature of the magneto machine, and 2 is the induction coilvshown as being arranged within a chamber above the armature. The saidarmature is wound with two low tension windings 3, 4, one end of each ofwhich is connected at 5, (see Fig. 2) to earth through the armature coreand the frame, while .the opposite'ends are connected up to a specialmake-and-break device as hereafter described, whereby they are arrangedto be alternately placed in series with the primary winding of theinduction coil and external low tension circuit. The two windings of thearmature are wound in the same direction, or in other words, there ispractically a single winding having its middle point earthed to the massof the armature, so that. the current generated in half of the windingwhen the latter is in circuit will flow in a direction opposite to theremaining half of the winding when in circuit.

The change-over imike-andln'eak which is auttmiatically operated eithermechanically by a cam on the magneto machine (or electro-magne ticallylis so arranged that when the current in the one winding which isconnected up with the coil reaches its maximum, contact is made so as toplace theother winding in circuit and. at the same time, or immediatelyafter, the contactv is broken so as to cut out the first mentionedwinding. The

current is now. generated. by the second wind ing and passes tl'nroughtheprimary winding of the coil. .in the. reverse d rection, thusre-.

versingthc magnetic fieltlrandrausing an intense sparkto becreated. In,the arrangement sl1o\\t11.-.,theliveends of the double windings 3,4,; ofthe armature 1 areconriected to the. insulated metallic terminal strips(3, 7, passing out through the Patented Xmas, 1911.;

one end of the spindle 8, the outer extremities being bent-up as shown.The make-andbreak device is mounted upon a vulcanite base plate 9adapted to be attachedto the spindle 8 by a push-on connection, beingprovided for this purpose with a pair of holes 10, .11, which engagewith a-pair of diametrically opposite pins 12, 13, projecting from aring or collar 14 fixed upon the spindle end. At the back of the base 9are two spring contact pieces 15, 16, which engage with the liveterminal ends 6, 7 of the windings.

The contact 15 is carried by a cross-bar 21 fixed at its opposite endsby nuts 22 screwing on to the inner sides of studs 23 between whoseheads 24, at the front of the base 9,

is pivoted a rocking frame or lever 25 formed with a forwardlyprojecting cam end 26. This end is acted upon by spring 27 formed by thefree ends of a metallic frame 28 fixed in position by the stud heads 24.

The inner face of the said cam end 26 carries a contact point 29, whichthus forms the virtual live end of the one winding 3 of the armature.The contact piece 16is carried by the-cross-piece 30 connected to abridge- 31 mounted upon the front of the base, and carrying anadjustable contact screw 32 which forms the virtual live end of theother winding 4 of the armature. Behind the rocking member 25 is aspring tongue or lever 33 whose lower end is folded or bent up into aU-form and fixed to the centerof the base by the hollow bush 34 whichcarries a spring plunger or brush 35 engaging with a ball-bearingcontact 3(3'carried by the end of the detachable. closure cap or cover37, said contact being connected with an external terminal 38 fromwhence the current is conveyed to the primary winding of the induction,coil. The spring tongue 33 carries at its outer free end two platinum orother contact points 39, 40, the former of which normally makes contactwith the contact screw 32, while the other normally comes opposite to,but out of contact with, the contact point tact (under the influence ofits spring) with.

the adjustable contact screw 32, so that the winding 4 of the armatureis placed in series with the external circuit, the current passing firstto contact-piece 16, then to bridge 31,

contact screw 32, spring tongue 33, central bush 34, plunger 35, contact36, external terminal 38, and thence to the primary winding ofthe coiland to earth. At themoment the tongue.

current generated by said armature winding 4 reaches its maximum'value,one of the rollers 41 on the end cover engages and piece 25 presses backthe spring tongue 33 so as to cause its contact point 39 tomove awayfrom the adjust-able screw 32, thus" breaking the circuit through thearmature winding 4, but leaving the other winding in circuit. By thissecond winding, the current generated will flow through the inductioncoil in the opposite direction to that in which the current from theother winding was pre- .,viously flowing.

The shape of the cam-end 26 of the rocking piece is such that the latterremains depressed until the current has reached its minimum value, whensaid end leaves the rollers and the winding 3 is cut out andcontactremade to put the windin 4 into circuit. Owing to the breaking othe circuit with the winding 3 takin place when the current is at aminimum, t contact points 40, 29, between the rocking piece 25 and thespring tongue 33,need not be made of platinum, and it is only necessaryto place a condenser 42 across the contact points for breaking contactwith the winding 4, that is, between the adjustable contact screw 32 andthe corresponding point 39 on the spring This condenser 42 is, as shown,preferably carried upon the armature of the machlne so as to revolvetherewith, and the side which is to be connected tothe spring tongue 33is connected through the armature spindle 8 to a central insulatedterminal brush or plunger 43 at the extremity of said spindle, and whichmakes contact at the back of the base plate 9 of the make-and-brea'kdevice, with the inner end 44of the central bush 34 by which the ptherpart of the armature winding whichis coupled up with the contact screw32. Instead of causing the fixed rollers or the like to engage or wipeover the cam end of the rocking contact, a ma etically actuated meansmay be substitut in the formof-a. trembler operated in a well knownmanner.

In an, alternative arrangement, the break .ing and making of thecontacts may versed, that is-to say, the rocking piece25, may remaindepressed until the maximum osition is reached, when it is released,reaking the contact that was made in the previous case, and making thatwhich was previously broken, it being understood that and-break device.herein described, as any other device may be employed which cuts out theone winding when the current attains its maximum value, and complete thecircuit through the other winding.

In order to advance or retard the ignition. the detachable casing 37carrying the rollers 41, is secured to the rocking sleeve or chamber 45provided with the tuning lever 46, so that when this lever is turned thetime of actuation of the makeandbreak is 'aried accordingly. In order,however, to insure that the make-and-brcak shall be actuated whenthecurrent is at its maximum value, even when the ignition is advanced orretarded, the pole pieces of the magnets are arranged to be adjustedangularly in syuchronism with the timing mechanism. Thus the magnets 47are provided with short fixed pole pieces 48, and in conjunction withthese. auxiliary rocking pole pieces 49 are employed, which moreover,but are always in direct contact with, said fixed poles. These rockingpole pieces 49 are let into the sides and form part of, a sleeve orshield 50 of brass or other nonmagneticmatcrial which surrounds thearmature and which is apable of being turned around upon its axisthrough a certain angle. At

the makeand-break end the sleeve 50 is attached by screws to the chamber45, so that when the latter is rocked to advance or retard the ignition,the movable pole pieces 49 are rocked in synchronism and to the sameextent, thus insuring that the makeand-brcak shall always be actuatedwhen the armature is in its maximum position. i

The sleeve or shield. is inserted into position "from one end. and restsupon the frame.

.\t the outer end it carries the ball bearings 51 upon which the one endof the armature is supported. and the sleeve may be secured in positionby an externally wormed ring or nut 52 which screws into a wormedopening at the open end of the machine, and which bears against the endof the sleeve so as to keep the bearings close up to the ball race onthe armature spindle. The bearings can thus be ad usted by means of WhatI desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent is:- i

1. In electric ignition systems of internal combustion engines, amagneto electric machine having an armature grounded in the middle toprovide two windings, an induction coil structurally associatedw-itlrthe said armature windings, andan automatically operated devicecausing the current to pass in the same direction "alternatelythroughthe said windings and to reverse the current through theinduction coil.

2. In electric ignition systems of internal combustion engines,amagnetofelectric machine having an armature grounded in the middle toprovide two low tension windings which are wound in the samedirection,an automatically operated make and break device having one end ofeach'of the said armature windings connected thereto, and an inductioncoil structurally associated with the make and brealcdevice', the"windings of the armature of theinagn'eto electric machine beingalternately *pla'cedin series with the primary Windingof the inductioncoil by the make and breakdevi'ce, the latter being arranged'toj breakcontact so as to cut out one windii'igandalso" to.

make contact so as to place the other winding in circuit, the currentbeing reversed through the inductioncoil.

3. In electric ignition systems of internal combustion engines, a.magneto electric machine having an armature grounded in the middle toprovide two windings which are ground in the same direction, anautomatically operated make and break device hav ing one end of each ofthe windings connected up thereto, andan induction coil, the twowindings of the armature of the magneto electric machine beingalternately placed in series with the primary winding of the saidinduction coil by the make and break device, the latter being arrangedto break contact to cut out one winding when the current generatedthereby is at a. maximum, and making contact to place the other windingin circuit, the current flowing through. the induction coil in thereverse direction and reversing the magnetic field, the said secondcircuit being broken so as to again place the first winding in circuitwhen the current generated thereby is at circuit, and a springinfluenced tongue or chine comprising an armature lever membercarryingtwo contacts, one of .the latter contacts normally engaging-with,

the said stationary contact while the other of the two contacts issituated opposite to and normally separated fromthe rocking member, theautomatic operation of the rocking member making contact" with thetongue m'ember and breaking contact between the said tongue member andthe stationary contact.

, 5. In electric ignition'sy stems of internal combustion engines, amagneto electric maounded in the middle to provide two windings thereonwound in the same direction, an automati-- 'cally operated make andbreak device thereof alternately mounted to revolve with the armature,an

induction coil having the primary winding laced in series with eachof'the two win 'ngs of the armature,

- the said make and break device, comprising a spring-influenced rockingmember connected with one winding, a stationary contact connected withthe other winding, and

a spring-influenced tongue'membercarrying two contacts, one of thelatter engaging the -.'said stationary contact while the other issituated opposite to but normally separated from a contacting portion ofthe rocking member. p

6. In electric ignition systems of internal combustion engines, amagneto electric machine comprising an armature grounded in the middleto provide two windings thereon .wound in the same direction, a

rocking member connected with one winding, the rockingmember having acontact consisting of a forwardly projecting cam end adapted to beengaged by prQ ecting parts carried by a relatively stationary member, astationary contact connected with the other winding, and aspring-influenced tongue member carrying two contacts, one of whichnormally engages with a stationary contact while the other is situatedopposite to but normally separated from the contact of the rockingmember, the projecting cam end of the rocking member operating to makecontact with the tongue member and to break contact between the saidtongue member and the stationary contact.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

FRANK HERBERT ALSTON.

Witnesses:

HENRY Snnnnn'rr, HENRY NORTON Snennnrr.

